Exactly why Paralympics is called that after people make huge mistake their whole life

With the Paris Paralympics coming to an end this Sunday (September 8), people are only just working out why it's called that.

Millions have tuned in the watch the Games, which have run from 28 August to 8 September, watching some of the most talented athletes across the globe compete in 22 different sports.

The Paralympic closing ceremony will take place this Sunday, and is set to be an electric night.

But did you know you've been mistakingly thinking about what 'Para' stands for all this time?

Well, not just you - but most people who have now found out the real reason for its name.

Obviously, you're not a fool for think it's due to paraplegic athletes competing in a range of sports.

But that's just not the reason for it.

You're wrong about the reason it's called the Paralympics (Adnan Farzat/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

According to the Paralympic Games website: "Any athlete wishing to participate in Para sport competition must have an Underlying Health Condition that leads to a permanent Eligible Impairment.

"The Paralympic Movement offers sporting opportunities for athletes with an impairment belonging to one of ten Eligible Impairment types."

But what does Para mean?

Well, it's all down to a link to the Greek origins of the Games, not the people who are competing.

Darlene Hunter, a two-time medallist, cleared things up for us.

She told KAKE News reported Hannah King: "Paralympics is parallel to the Olympics. So a lot of people think para means paraplegic, but it actually means parallel."

Another person explained on X: "The word 'Paralympic' derives from the Greek preposition 'para' (beside or alongside) and the word 'Olympic'.

"Its meaning is that Paralympics are the parallel Games to the Olympics and illustrates how the two movements exist side-by-side."

A third added: "Contrary to popular belief, the 'para' in 'Paralympics' doesn’t stand for 'paralysed', but for 'parallel'."

This isn't the only surprising fact that people are learning about the Olympics, as people are discovering what gold medals are made of too.

Not many people know that the prestigious award is actually not made entirely out of solid gold but, instead, is mostly silver.

'Para' actually means parallel (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The medal weighs 529 grams and over 95.4 percent of it is actually made of silver, totalling to 505 grams.

According to various reports, 18 grams consists of iron and only the remaining six consists of pure gold, which acts as the plating of the medal.

Forbes has also confirmed just how much the 2024 Olympic gold medal is really worth.

All medals are reportedly 85 millimetres across and 9.2 millimetres thick and, according to the outlet, the podium cost of a 2024 Olympic gold medal is approximately $950 - a figure based on the 'spot price' of gold, silver and iron on the morning of 24 July, and 'the amount of those materials that are used for the medal'.